Animal Husbandry

The breeding, care, and manipulation of animals species by humans was a thriving enterprise in Greco-Roman antiquity. It was omnipresent, ranging from the local breeder of song birds for pets to the enormous villa-based piscinae, from the subsistence farms of Attica to the vast villas of Imperial Rome and industrial sized operations producing specialized animals ranging from snails to horses. Its specifics differed widely by geography and over a period of some 3,000 years. The details may have varied, but it is clear that the ancients were not content with merely domesticating animals. Rather, from earliest times, they constantly sought ways by which to control their production and maximize their utility to their keepers.